


Shades of Your Soul

by RinAngel



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Cheesy, Enemies to Lovers, Enjoy this skeleton of a fic, Hyungwon is an asshole, M/M, Minhyuk is a sweetheart, Soulmates give you color vision, WILL BE REWRITTEN
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:47:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24608674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RinAngel/pseuds/RinAngel
Summary: In a world where finding your soulmate is the only way to see the colors of the world, Minhyuk has always been eager to find the love of his life... uh, except the love of his life is the one person he can think of that he actually /can't stand/. Nothing about Hyungwon with Minhyuk seems logical, but they say Fate doesn't make mistakes.(Written for a prompt challenge: "soulmates / enemies to lovers".)
Relationships: Chae Hyungwon/Lee Minhyuk, Son Hyunwoo | Shownu/Yoo Kihyun
Comments: 7
Kudos: 59
Collections: June 2020 Prompt Week





	Shades of Your Soul

**Author's Note:**

> Haha so I got this idea almost as soon as I saw the prompt... unfortunately, this idea is WAY too big for a oneshot, and this oneshot does not do my boys justice :I I mostly wrote this as a reminder to myself to expand it into a chaptered fic at some point in the future. I feel like their personalities don't shine enough as-is... just know that Minhyuk is annoying, and Hyungwon is an asshole, which is the best dynamic for any fanfiction relationship ever. Oh, and 2hyun are that annoying couple that you know that won't.stop.TOUCHING.EACH.OTHER.

_ “What was it like, the first time you touched?” _

_ Kihyun smiles at Minhyuk’s question, like it’s a silly one. Everyone who has found their soulmate has that side to them, like they’ve been enlightened to the secrets of the universe, just because the cones in their eyes have woken up. But Minhyuk can’t be irritated, because it fascinates him, everything about it. He only knows the world in grayscale, but knowing that there are  _ colors _beneath that, and only one person in the world who could unlock their secrets to him?_

_ “I barely knew him, but I didn’t want to let go of him. Hyunwoo says he felt the exact same way. We sat across from each other and held hands and just… stared, for ages.” Kihyun chuckles. “Just wait, you’ll know when it happens. No matter who it is, you stop and you get lost in their colors.” _

_ Some people never find their person. Some people never see the colors. Minhyuk doesn’t want to be one of them. _

//

There was no other group of people (sans one) that Minhyuk would rather spend a Friday night drinking with.

He loved his band— it was hard to believe that, one year ago, he’d joined Monsta X purely for the music. He loved Kihyun, the band’s loving mother and lead vocalist; he loved Hyunwoo, the bassist who had terrified Minhyuk with his intensity until the younger realized that he was otherwise a giant teddy bear; he loved Jooheon, the energetic drummer who was probably the single funniest person he had ever met in his  _ entire _ life. It was crazy, how well they all meshed together, personally, musically.

And then there was Hyungwon. Not that Hyungwon was that  _ bad,  _ he was just… well, he was lazy, arrogant, egotistical, and rude, which actually sounded pretty bad when Minhyuk thought it to himself. (If asked, Minhyuk was sure Hyungwon would call him an irritating little gnat who talked too much and should have started his  _ own _ band if he wanted to do music so damn badly.) From the day of Minhyuk’s audition, they simply hadn’t vibed.  _ Something _ about Minhyuk rubbed Hyungwon the wrong way, and from then on, he always wore a look of absolute scorn throughout his dealings with the other guitarist— which, of course, made it all the harder for Minhyuk to be nice to him.

“Before we drink, we should toast,” Minhyuk suggested from his place at the round kitchen table, cracking his can of beer open. Kihyun and Hyunwoo’s apartment was the coziest place to drink— it actually made Minhyuk sad, to think about the possibility of moving into dorms together, even though it psyched the hell out of him too. “Let’s drink to our meeting on Monday with the record company execs! If we’re lucky, our gig tomorrow night is gonna be the last one we play as an indie band!”

Hyunwoo wasn’t drinking, just sitting beside Kihyun and holding his hand. Touching, forever touching. It was how you could tell the soulmates from the couples who had just settled for each other. “Actually, before anything like that, there’s something we need to talk about. Can everyone listen up for a second?” He’d been wearing his stoic face since they’d gotten there, which Minhyuk had written off as nerves. Things were progressing quickly, and a contract was a big step. Besides, Monsta X was Hyunwoo’s  _ baby.  _ He’d started it three years ago with Kihyun, gathering the members as they went, going from a couple of guys messing around with guitars in their college dorms to a five-piece, self-composing rock band with an  _ actual chance. _

“Can we talk about it quickly so I can start drinking?” Hyungwon questioned, only half-paying attention as he poured his beer into a glass, because he was a  _ classy _ asshole.

“Yeah, actually. So,” Hyunwoo cleared his throat awkwardly. He might have been the leader, but he wasn’t usually one for formalities like this. “I feel really good about our chances of getting offered a contract. Maybe even a  _ really good _ contract, judging by their reaction to our demo CD! But if we’re going to put all five of our names down on a contract, I want to make sure that this group is gonna be solid until the end.”

He looked from Hyungwon to Minhyuk. Kihyun and Jooheon did the same, silently appraising their reactions with barely concealed unease. Minhyuk’s stomach sank. Suddenly, he  _ knew _ what this was about.

“Hyungwon, Minhyuk, are you going to be able to do this?” Hyunwoo prompted them plainly. Atop the table, his fingers twined with Kihyun’s for comfort. “Living together? Working together every day? Acting civil for the cameras? Because if there’s any doubts… I won’t sign with both of you.”

“Hyung,  _ what?” _ Minhyuk protested, feeling his eyes go wide and his stomach drop. “You know this band is my whole life right now! You don’t think I can put my personal feelings aside for something like this?”

Hyungwon crossed his arms, eyes narrowed and lips pursed. He wasn’t one who could easily keep his emotions off of his face. It was a shame, Minhyuk thought, that his emotions were usually so damn ugly.  _ Just smile and agree, you shitbag. This is our band on the line. And we both love this fucking band more than we hate each other. _

“I told you when we ran auditions, I don’t think we really need a second guitarist,” Hyungwon said simply, refusing to meet Minhyuk’s gaze.

_ “Hyungwon—” _ Jooheon groaned, letting his head drop to the table in apparent defeat.

“But I also told Hyunwoo hyung that I would do whatever he thought was best for the band, didn’t I?” Hyungwon spoke up to make his point over the band’s collective groans, an edge of irritation to his voice. “Besides, you all outvoted me, three to one. So we’ll do whatever you want.” He dignified Minhyuk at last with his gaze; his eyes looked black and empty on his pale face, devoid of their usual twinkle.

Kihyun, as always, kept his voice level as he explained to Hyungwon that he wasn’t  _ really _ giving Hyunwoo the answer he wanted, though Minhyuk could only half hear him beneath Jooheon’s whine:  _ “We sound so much cooler live with two guitars! Come onnnnnn!” _

“Maybe it’s just our personalities. Maybe Hyungwon just thinks I’m annoying, and maybe I just think Hyungwon’s a piece of shit,” Minhyuk spoke up bluntly, managing a smile despite (or maybe in response to) the way Hyungwon’s eye twitched in irritation. “But that doesn’t mean that we don’t respect each other as musicians and bandmates! Everything is going to work out, I promise, so just— _don't even worry."_

“I don’t  _ just _ think you’re annoying, Minhyuk, should I tell you what else I think of you too?”

“You’re  _ both _ making this worse,” Hyunwoo warned, voice sharp with warning. Minhyuk winced. Hyunwoo was a teddy bear, but his patience only extended so far. “You don’t have differences to talk out? It’s your  _ personalities? _ Then  _ learn to love each other. _ I’m not living and working with the both of you through a _seven year contract_ if it’s going to be like  _ this _ the whole time.” He grabbed Minhyuk’s wrist tight in one hand, Hyungwon’s in the other, and both men were too bewildered to fight as Hyunwoo brought their hands together in the middle of the table. “Hold hands. Look into each other’s eyes. Say something sincere. Because—”

Because what? Minhyuk didn’t know, he didn’t keep listening. He couldn’t do anything but see.

It started with Hyungwon himself, a spark of something in his face— something that Minhyuk didn’t have words for. He would learn the words later: that Hyungwon’s lips were pink, his skin pale and warm like peaches-and-cream; that his wide eyes were not black, but a dozen different shades of brown in a cascade that he found absolutely hypnotizing. Hyungwon only stared back, expression unreadable.  _ Are you seeing this, too? _ Minhyuk wiggled his fingers, and instantly, Hyungwon grabbed his hand to keep it from moving.

The rest of the world filled itself in around him, like the color was resonating from Hyungwon himself. His shirt was a subdued, dark blue. The kitchen walls were a cheerful, sunny yellow, and the potted ivy in the window was the most refreshing, vivid green. The lights of the nightlife outside gave a totally different character to the room.  _ The lights change the colors. Lights aren’t just bright, they change the colors, colors that I can see, colors that Hyungwon can see, I’m holding hands with Hyungwon and he’s my soulmate. I hate his fucking guts and he’s my  _ **_soulmate—_ **

“Oh my god,” Kihyun was saying, from somewhere that sounded very far away. “Minhyuk— can you hear me? Hyungwon? Oh my  _ god—” _

“Wait, they’re soulmates?” Hyunwoo asked in disbelief. “How could they be meant for each other? Aren’t soulmates supposed to love each other  _ exactly as they are?” _

“How has Minhyuk gone an  _ entire year _ practicing with us without touching Hyungwon at  _ all?” _ Jooheon’s voice was half-hysterical with laughter. Minhyuk had to presume that he was just about rolling on the floor, but he couldn’t say for sure, because Hyungwon’s eyes had captured his own again.  _ I didn’t know people could be so pretty. _ It was Hyungwon who pulled his hand back at last, and there was nothing  _ gradual _ about the way the color went away— it was like pulling a plug, and suddenly, everything was gray again. It almost  _ hurt. _

The kitchen had fallen mostly silent, now, just Jooheon’s occasional sigh as he wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes. Hyunwoo looked afraid to speak, now sitting back and giving the two  _ plenty  _ of space, while Kihyun was unable to keep himself from grinning from ear to ear.

“How do you feel?” he nearly demanded, looking from Hyungwon to Minhyuk and back again. “Oh—” Suddenly, he moved back, as though remembering his manners. “Honestly, you’re probably a little overwhelmed right now. Why don’t we go to the living room for a few minutes, guys, and give them some—”

“No, it’s fine!” Hyungwon was the one who spoke up, pushing his drink aside and standing up. His eyes, gone back to dark, were so hard to read, and Minhyuk felt his heart sink for a moment when he thought that Hyungwon was about to leave… until he continued shortly, “Minhyuk, let’s take a walk. We’ll be back.”

“Don’t kill each other,” Hyunwoo warned weakly, voice still lightly shaking.

“I wouldn’t kill my soulmate. They say you only get one,” Hyungwon replied grimly, grabbing his coat off of the back of his chair as he pushed it in. “Minhyuk, what are you waiting for?”

“Right…” Minhyuk stood up and searched for his sweater as well, which he’d tossed on the living room couch what felt like a lifetime ago. Since when did he take orders from Hyungwon, anyway? He shivered, following quickly behind Hyungwon, who held the door for him.

Minhyuk had never really liked nighttime: the sky unnerved him, pitch black and characterless, only occasionally dotted by pinpricks of light. There were no stars out that night, the clouds must have been too thick— but then Hyungwon took his hand, making him jump, and slowly, the world took color again. The colors were muted in the dark, but there were green bushes dotted with pink flowers, a bright orange cat streaked by in the street, and the sky wasn’t  _ black, _ but a dark, deep, and lovely purple. It had more depth than Minhyuk had ever realized, and for once, it really did feel like it went on for lightyears. Hyungwon seemed to have the same idea that he did: no walk was necessary, just the brisk night air and the colors around them. Silence hung around them like a comforting hug. Without even a look, Hyungwon’s thumb ran along the back of Minhyuk’s hand, feeling almost affectionate. Despite the obvious care that Hyungwon took of his hair and skin, his fingers were just as calloused as Minhyuk’s from years of guitar playing… There was something sort of endearing about it. Minhyuk glanced at him slyly, only to find that Hyungwon had already been looking at him.

Uselessly willing himself not to blush, Minhyuk excused his gaze away with a simple statement: “You’re a lot more handsome in color.”

Hyungwon sneered slightly, though for some reason, there was less malice than usual in his eyes. “I’m handsome anyway, don’t lie,” he accused lightly, tearing his eyes away from Minhyuk. A second later (Hyungwon was shaken, off his game), he retorted: “You’re a lot more handsome when you’re not talking.”

“That’s not true! That’s not a  _ thing!” _ Minhyuk insisted, nudging Hyungwon in the ribs with his elbow. Still, despite it all, he was trying not to smile. “You really are an asshole! You need to start talking to me more nicely if—” Minhyuk stopped himself suddenly, biting his tongue.  _ If we’re going to date, _ he’d been thinking, but Hyungwon still hadn’t said anything about dating.  _ There are people who choose to go against fate and reject their soulmates. How humiliating would that be? Maybe I should reject him before he can reject me. _ Then again, how could Minhyuk say goodbye to the  _ colors? _ The purple sky, the green grass, Hyungwon’s marvelous brown eyes— he wouldn’t be able to see any of them alone.

“How do soulmates work out when they’re the complete opposite of each other? Nothing about us makes sense,” Hyungwon spoke his thoughts at last, brows creased in frustration. “Doesn’t the idea of us dating sound like a bad joke?”

“Well, Hyunwoo told us that we have to learn to love each other,” Minhyuk reasoned cautiously. “Couples must have a process like that, too, learning to appreciate each other’s differences and faults. No two people are perfect, even if they’re perfect for one another in the long run.”

“That’s stupid.”

“That’s  _ love,” _ Minhyuk corrected, a little defensively. Truthfully, he’d always wanted a soulmate; the fact that it was  _ Hyungwon, _ of all people, was sort of a drag. “If we date, you’ll eventually learn to love being talked at all the time, and I suppose I’ll learn to love your asshole ways. Anyhow, there’s gotta be something to love about you, seeing as how Hyunwoo and Kihyun been your friend for years.”

“Huh.” Maybe Minhyuk was imagining it, it was hard to tell in the darkness, but it seemed like Hyungwon’s cheeks were changing color, and so were his ears. He bit his bottom lip, carefully looking ahead and ignoring Minhyuk, and the realization hit the elder suddenly:  _ he’s blushing. _ As if cued in to Minhyuk’s epiphany, Hyungwon suddenly wriggled his fingers. “My hand is getting sweaty.”

“Wait, don’t let go!” Minhyuk stopped him by grabbing his wrist, and Hyungwon rolled his eyes. “I don’t want to lose the color.”

“You love it that much?”

“Don’t you?” Minhyuk smiled softly. He moved quickly, before Hyungwon could answer: letting go of his hand, the world’s color flickered, but when he slipped his arm around his soulmate, hand resting innocently beneath Hyungwon’s t-shirt at the base of his back, everything filled back in quickly. The night spell wasn’t broken, though the closeness of Hyungwon’s body had Minhyuk now blushing, too.

“Yeah. I guess so.” Hyungwon’s voice was a mere whisper, and a smile played on his lips. “Kihyun always writes about colors in his song lyrics. I always thought it was pretentious as fuck, but now I want to write about them, too.”

“Ha. You know, what, Hyungwon? I think there’s a hidden romantic inside of you. And I guess if we sign this contract, we have at least seven years to dig him out.”

_ “Ugh.” _ It was Hyungwon’s usual unenthusiastic response to Minhyuk’s corniness, so the last thing Minhyuk expected was for him to follow it up with a kiss. But he did, out of nowhere— closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye and pulling away just as fast. Quickly covering his cheeks with his hands (shivering, no doubt so that he could use the cold as an excuse), he mumbled, “Don’t tell the others I’m going soft on you. I have a reputation to uphold. But I guess you’re sort of cute.”

“Oh my god…” Minhyuk bit back giggles, bringing a frown to Hyungwon’s lips. “No, no. I won’t laugh at you. It’s okay. We’ll get there.” A cool breeze cut through the narrow street, ruffling Minhyuk’s hair, and he sidled up closer to Hyungwon for warmth. Never had he felt so comfortable with a silence as that one, blanketed by the most brilliant of night skies.


End file.
